Garlic nan — for serious garlic lovers.

Black tableclothes set the tone for Taj Majal.

Mango lasi, a sweet mango drink with yogurt.

Tandoori chicken served atop a bed of sliced raw tomato, red and green pepper, and onion.

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Taj Mahal, which opened on Nov. 3, already has repeat customers, said Tarvinder Girn, co-owner with his wife Rakwinder Kaur and Paramjit Kaur.

The team had owned restaurants in central California, and friends in Springfield encouraged them to open a restaurant here, as Springfield has only one other Indian restaurant, Girn said.

Everything on the menu is made from scratch, Girn said. He served all sampled dishes mild, but all entrées can be prepared with a range of spicy heat. Ask for mild, medium or hot.

Chicken tikka masala ($12.95): The chicken was marinated for 24 hours in yogurt then baked in a tandoori oven. The rich and thick sauce, fortified with a mixture of many different spices, coated each piece of chicken with bright flavors.

Palak paneer ($10.95): Fresh spinach cooked in homemade cottage cheese and spices. The cottage cheese in this meatless dish was prepared in chewy chunks, similar to extra-firm tofu. It provided a contrasting texture to the soft, smooth and light consistency of the creamed spinach, which had delicate seasonings.

Tandoori chicken ($13.95): Tender chicken marinated in yogurt and spices then broiled on skewers in a tandoori oven. Although the chicken was prepared in traditional Indian fashion, the result somewhat resembled American barbecue, making it a good choice for those who want to ease into the Taj Mahal experience. The chicken was served atop a bed of sliced raw tomato, red and green pepper, and onion — a refreshing presentation.

Vegetable somosa ($3.95): Deep-fried turnovers with potato and green peas seasoned and puréed. Crunch into the crispy shell and enjoy the soft interior. Two sauces on the side made this an exciting appetizer: tamarind, thoroughly sweet with a hint of tang; and a mint sauce that was eye-openingly intense.

Garlic nan ($2.95): One of a dozen choices of Indian bread, this was a garlic lover’s delight. The cilantro garnish added an extra flair.